Marin Sawa

Марин Савва
مارين سواAlgaerium

source: highlike

Work: 2009- Ongoing

Algaerium is an in-vitro aesthetic photosynthesis system of microalgae for spatial installation of algal biotechnology in the urban environment. As a collective family, each member of Algaerium represents an urban bio-repository, floating biota, in which to preserve the microorganisms for their future biotechnological use such as bio-energy. Through displacement into the urban environment, Algaerium re-contextualises the sterile environment of the algae culture laboratory. I have incorporated and manipulated the endogenous yet ‘re-programmable’ biological processes of photosynthesis and bioluminescence.

Adapting molecular gastronomy technology to encapsulation of ‘ethereality’, I have created an environmentally interdependent chain mechanism of ‘metabolic’ colour creation.
Algaerium contains and visualizes bioluminescence in its transparent tubular vessel. Microalgae, “Pyrocystis lunula”, are suspended in transparent growth liquid. These cells need exposure to light and darkness in order to biosynthesise bioluminescence through photosynthesis in their cells. The fluid-dynamic movement of this aquatic system agitates the microorganisms, which respond to bioluminescence. This luminous bio-property is a nocturnal behaviour controlled by the entrainable circadian rhythm of the microalgae. But here I have reprogrammed them under an artificial environment so that their nocturnal time is our daytime.
Algaerium contains green microalga “Tetraselmis” in its transparent tubular vessel. This microalgae possesses striking green chlorophyll, a biosensor of light. The microorganisms are encapsulated in protective membrane through skills adapted from molecular gastronomy. The fluid-dynamic movement of the system creates a circulation of green spheres, each containing thousands of the immobilized microalgae. The encapsulation protects the cells from the otherwise toxic sensory liquid. Such surrounding yellow liquid acts as a biochemical sensor to photosynthetic metabolism of the algae by colour oscillation from yellow to purple.
Microalgae in liquid suspension are encapsulated within breathing second skin created by molecular gastronomy technology. I have immobilized and suspended microbial life in sterile transparency. The microorganisms’ life is immobilized and ‘sustained’. This in-vitro environment contains the prerequisites of phototrophic life, namely light, water and CO2 into the encapsulated cells for photosynthesis. This living system of cell immobilization encourages preservation: sustenance rather than growth. What you see here is an artificial urban biota of algae displaced from different geographical climates and waters.
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source: print3dworld

Illuminated Algae
Exploring how biological processes can be used to design domestic living textiles, Central Saint Martins College graduate Marin Sawa has created architectural algae textiles. Sawa’s project Algaerium
celebrates the special characteristics of green and white algae. Sawa has created a new type of
bio-power in the form of light from bioluminescent algae. Algaerium is made up of a modular structure that pumps micro algae through clear flexible tubes. The movement within the system agitates the bioluminescent algae and makes it glow. Algae is traditionally grown on an industrial scale, but Algaeruim brings this powerful green marvel into the home environment for living light.
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source: thisisalive

The ‘Algaerium Bioprinter’ prototype demonstrates how microalgae can be cultivated in our domestic space to provide digitally printed health food on demand. This project refers to my previous work, which explored the aesthetic and functions of microalgae living systems. Here, Algaerium acts as an ink reservoir, containing ‘superfood’ microalgae such as Chlorella, Spirulina and Haematococcus. The selection of the algae strains reflects the diversity of colours in algae and allows for colourful printed patterns. Often algaes’ colours also indicate their nutraceutical values. For instance, Chlorella is exploited as health food for its high content of chlorophylls, responsible for its green pigmentation. Such species are cultivated on industrial scale and are increasingly in demand in today’s global health food market.

Algaue bio-reactors and cultures.
THE BIOPRINTER ENVISIONS AN IMMEDIATE FUTURE IN WHICH ALGAE ‘FARMING’ FORMS A NEW PART OF URBAN AGRICULTURE TO REINFORCE FOOD SAFETY IN OUR CITIES.

My project aims at adapting this industrial-scale production to a domestic technology. For this, I have been working in collaboration with Imperial College London to develop a new inkjet printing technology suitable for algae printing. By introducing living microalgae to food printing, we have invented a new way of consuming health food supplements. At micro scale, the Bioprinter technology provides a process in which cells can be ruptured and their nutrients can be readily absorbed. At macro scale, the Bioprinter envisions an immediate future in which algae ‘farming’ forms a new part of urban agriculture to reinforce food safety in our cities. We are also currently developing the technology to print algal-based energy devices as well as filtering devices. This research is part of my doctoral research at Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design in London in collaboration with Imperial College London.
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source: marins

The ‘Algaerium Bioprinter’ envisions how microalgal cells can be grown and digitally printed for production of ‘fresh’ food supplements, organic dyes on paper, and printable biological solar batteries. The solar battery application is based on my current laboratory collaboration with biochemists working in bioenergy from microalgae. This Bioprinter concept is backed up by our newly invented biotechnology ‘Algae Printing’.

Algae Printing applies various biotechnological strains of microalgae as inkjet-printing inks, to suit one of the applications as required. The Algaerium inkjet cartridge acts as an aesthetic photobioreactor, growing microalgae as ‘living inks’. The living ink is micro cells alive with ‘photopigments’ for photosynthesis. The ink cartridge design is part of the Algaerium Bioprinter concept design which supports oxygenic photosynthesis, feeding algae on the surrounding CO2 and light in the urban indoor environment.

In the case of printing ‘superfood’ Chlorella cells onto edible paper, Algae Printing connects current excitements in between food printing and ‘superfood’ algae. The Algae Printing technology provides a process in which cells can be ruptured and their nutrients can be readily absorbed. At maco scale, localisation of biotechnological production is introduced through reinventing existing digital technologies and their technoscientifc objects (printers, laptops, ink cartridges, etc).